FORMER University of Santo Tomas Golden Judoka Dither Tablan passed away Friday night, according to a report from The Varsitarian, the official publication of the university.
He was just 23 years old.
According to the Tiebreaker Times, Tablan suffered cardiac arrest, and his recorded time of death was 10:15 PM.
Dither Tablan was UST's most successful judokas
Tablan was a two-time UAAP most valuable player, and has led the Golden Judokas to a rare four-peat championship in the men's seniors division.
He also became the face of the España-based squad during his stay.
In October last year, he graduated with a degree in Physical Education, Major in Sports and Wellness Management, after five years in UST.
Tablan used to play in the heavyweight division of the collegiate league, and also had a few stints representing the country on the international stage such as 30th Southeast Asian Games and World Martial Arts Masterships.
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